SMU
Rice (Cancelled - Weather)
Aug 17 | Women's Soccer
THIS WEEK: The SMU women's soccer team hosts Rice Friday at 7 p.m. CT on Westcott Field to open its 2016 regular season campaign. The match is the first of a three-game homestand and can be seen on PonyUp TV, with Steve Lansdale making the call. Fans can get tickets by calling 214-SMU-GAME (214-768-4263) or visiting SMUMustangs.com/tickets, with coverage on SMUMustangs.com/gameday.
SCOUTING SMU: The Mustangs return eight starters including five (Vanesa Valadez, Claire Oates, Taylor Barg, Taylor Jackson and Kelsey Gorney) who started every game in 2015. Vanessa Valadez started all 18 games and led SMU with eight goals (7th AAC), 20 points (9th AAC), 1.11 points per game (6th AAC), 42 shots and 20 shots on goal. The 2015 AAC All-Rookie Team honoree was also tied for the team-lead in assists (4). Of the 25 woman roster, 16 members are in their freshman or sophomore year of eligibility, while sporting just five seniors. The Mustangs bring in 10 freshman this season including Katina Tsaspos who was rated a four-star prospect by TopDrawerSoccer. She was also the District 5-6A MVP in 2015, made the Dallas Morning News All Area Girls Team and was the District 6A All-State Honorable Mention in 2015.
2015 SEASON REVIEW: In 2015, the Mustangs finished 5-10-3 overall, and ninth in the American Athletic Conference with a 2-6-1 conference mark. SMU recorded all five victories (5-5-1 record) at Westcott Field, where the Mustangs converted 19 of its 25 goals. While at Westcott, the Mustangs topped opponents in goals (19-15), shot attempts (154-82), goals scored per game (+.37) and shots per game (+6.5). Vanessa Valadez was named to the AAC All-Rookie team after leading the Mustangs in goals (8), points (20), shots (42) and shots on goal (20), while tying Blaire Thorpe and Lissi Lonsberry for the most assists (4). Claire Oates earned All-AAC Second Team honors.
ABOUT RICE: The Owls went 10-7-2 last season and advanced to the Conference USA Championship, but fell to Middle Tennessee in the opening round. Rice was picked second in the 2016 C-USA head coaches' poll. It is the third time in the last four years for Rice to be picked as high as second by the annual poll. The Owls return seven starters, while losing four, including top goal-scorer Lauren Hughes. Senior Jasmine Isokpunwu was named the preseason co-defensive C-USA player of the year, while Jenny Fichera and Samantha Chaiken join Isokpunwu on the 2016 preseason all-conference team. A year ago Isokpunwu earned third team all-Central Region honors after starting every game for the Owls on defense and logged a team-high total of 1,754 minutes. Rice outscored opponents, 33-25, and averaged 1.74 goals per game.
SERIES: The Mustangs and Owls will meet for the 21st time, with SMU holding a 12-6-2 edge overall. SMU won the first eight meetings all-time. In recent years, SMU is 1-3-1 in the last five meetings. The two squads met up last season where they tied 1-1.
UP NEXT: SMU takes on Northwestern State Thursday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. on Westcott Field. The Lady Demons went 5-10-4 last season with a 2-6-3 record in the Southland Conference. On the road, Northwestern State finished 1-6-4. Esdeina Gonzalez returns for her junior year after registering six goals and two assists in 19 games last season. Gonzalez led the team in goals, shots on goal (27) and game-winning goals (3).
LAST WEEK: The SMU women's soccer team generated 26 shots with 12 on goal, but the effort fell short as the Mustangs fell to No. 22 Ole Miss, 2-0, in its only exhibition match of the season. Twelve members of the squad posted at least one shot, including all starting forwards and midfielders. Junior Lauren Guerra and redshirt-sophomore Vanessa Valadez led the team with four shots apiece. Valadez, a member of the 2015 American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team, tallied three shots on goal, while Guerra managed two. Newcomers Allie Thornton and Avery Ortmann recorded two and three shots, respectively, with all five shots combined on frame.
SCHEDULE: The SMU women's soccer team will play 19 regular season games, with 11 at Westcott Field. The Mustangs will face six opponents that appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Butler, BYU, Washington, UCF, Connecticut and Cincinnati. Connecticut is ranked 15th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason poll, while BYU checks in at No. 16. USF, UCF and Washington all are all receiving votes.
SMU ATHLETICS, SOCCER PROGRAMS TO SEE FACE LIFT: SMU recently announced plans to construct a new Indoor Performance Center, an outdoor natural grass football practice field and a new soccer stadium, another sign of the University's commitment to competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. These plans come on the heels of amazing success during SMU's Second Century Campaign, when SMU Athletics secured more than $191 million in gift commitments, and after 18 months of careful planning and design. The new soccer stadium, to be used by SMU's men's and women's soccer teams, will be located on Mockingbird Lane, the site of the current practice fields.
WESTCOTT FIELD: Since opening in 1994, SMU holds a .712 winning percentage (147-54-18) at Westcott Field. In 22 seasons at Westcott, the Mustangs have finished .500 or better in 20 seasons, with three perfect seasons.
AAC POLL: The SMU women's soccer team has been picked to finish eighth in the American Athletic Conference for the 2016 season. SMU received 20 votes and finished ahead of Houston in the poll. Defending champion Connecticut was the unanimous selection for first place, garnering 81 total points, and nine first-place votes. For the second season in a row, junior Claire Oates was named to the AAC Preseason All-Conference team.
VANESSA VALADEZ: As a redshirt-freshman, started all 18 games and led SMU with eight goals (7th AAC), 20 points (9th AAC), 1.11 points per game (6th AAC), shots (42) and shots on goal (20). The 2015 AAC All-Rookie Team honoree was also tied for the team-lead in assists (4).
TAYLOR BARG: Since her arrival on the Hilltop, she has played and started all 58 games for the Mustangs. As a dynamic playmaker in the backfield, Barg was third on the team in minutes played (1,624), played 90 minutes or more in 15 games and helped seal two shutout victories a season ago. In the classroom, was named to the 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District Seven Women's Soccer Second Team.
CAREER GOALS/ASSISTS:
Player                         G        A
Claire Oates                10       2
Vanessa Valadez         9         4
Lauren Guerra            7         2
Kelsey Gorney            7         1
Taylor Barg                 4         10
Bari Kesner                 2         2
Hannah Fleet              1         0
Lauren Harrington       1         2
Haley Thompson         1         1
Blair Thorpe                0         4
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following SMU women's soccer on Twitter at @SMUSoccerW, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUSoccerw, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/SMUSoccerW. Also follow head coach Chris Petrucelli on Twitter at @CPetrucelli. Additionally fans can get follow SMU Athletics on Facebook at /SMUMustangs, Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.
--SMUMustangs.com--
